Your child’s first redwood swing set should last well into his or her adult years. With the correct grade of redwood, an outdoor playset lasts decades, not years.

Choosing the Placement of your Play Set

A quality redwood swingset benefits any yard or back garden. When built correctly, a durable wooden play structure adds value to your house. However, there are a few things to keep in mind in terms of placement.

A play set should be in a visible area. Place the redwood swing set in easy view of a back deck or back window. Whenever possible, keep playsets in the back yard away from stray dogs and strangers on the street.

Place your outdoor redwood play set away from gardens that you do not want trampled. Make sure the yard surrounding the playset is free of obstacles like trees, rocks, ponds, pools and streams.

Designing the Ideal Redwood Swing Set

An ideal redwood playset meets your child’s desires. While a swing is fun, most children want more from their backyard play area. Towers, spiral slides, rope ladders, monkey bars, climbing walls and trapezes thrill active youngsters.

Ask your child what he or she most wants from their set. If you have a toddler, consider asking older cousins what they like. Take their suggestions and start with a toddler swing set that upgrades into an outdoor swingset any child would love. RainbowPlay.com makes it easy to customize any redwood swing set to meet your child’s wishes.

Selecting Quality Redwood Lumber

With more than two dozen different grades of redwood lumber, it’s often hard to tell which is best for your outdoor swing set. You need lumber that is durable, mold/mildew resistant and sanded to prevent splinters.

Construction Heart redwood lumber is the ideal wood for play sets. It comes in 2 x 4s and 2 x 6s that are kiln-dried without chemicals. The lumber typically withstands up to 250 pounds per swing making it easy for parents to go out and join their child for some outdoor play.